SuperSport: Phumelele Cafu vs. Genisis Lagumbay Libranza & Mpumelelo Tshabalala vs Jesse Espinas RBR

SuperSport's onscreen graphic has both of their first names spelled differently than what's on BoxRec.

Genesis and Phumelela.

 

Round 2

Libranza is advancing on Cafu relentlessly but intelligently, ducking aside to roll with counter hooks and working in behind a jab. Good body work by the Filipino. Cafu with mostly just light jabs moving backwards, all of them ignored and walked through by Libranza who just keeps touching him up with meaty stuff downstairs.

10-9 Libranza

20-18 Libranza

 

Round 3

Libranza is still moving forward at the same pace but Cafu has increased the quality and quantity of his jabs, and stepped up evasive maneuvers. Lots of side to side, very quick feet, and working in some lean-in hooking combos on the body after freezing Libranza with jabs. Cafu in a rhythm now, defending very well, weaving around Libranza's lunging shots and avoiding the ropes. Cafu sniping in with a jab in the face and right hand on the belly, then jerking himself out to starting position again. Libranza turns southpaw. Libranza ripping corkscrew lefts and right hooks stomping in, most of them blocked. Body shots by Libranza. Cafu backed into a corner but ducks a few shots and counters with a flush left hook and right hand.

10-9 Cafu

29-28 Libranza

 

This is honestly a pretty sweet fight for a Sunday morning card on obscure South African television.

 

Round 4

Libranza is bossing the first half of the round, with heavy shots from both southpaw and orthodox, walking through Cafu's stiff jab or sloping his shoulder to catch & deflect it. Cafu hurt a minute in, and Libranza follows up with some good shots but Cafu is able to regain control of range and keep Libranza held off with his jab in the closing stages.

10-9 Libranza, close

39-37 Libranza

 

Commentators thought Cafu just shaded the fourth despite the rocky start.

 

Round 5

Cafu is boxing very nicely now, both his defense and jab working well, winding his head around Libranza's shots when backed into the corner or ropes - but his countering leaves much to be desired. He will turn his face down, shoegazing while slipping punches, and then start shooting flurries blind before lifting his head again. Not exactly precision jobs. That said, he's doing enough with the jab during the moments on the outside to comfortably take this one as Libranza's pressure starts easing up ever so slightly as he is stymied by the jab.

10-9 Cafu

48-47 Libranza

 

Round 6

Cafu too slick outside for Libranza to get anything in. Cafu feeding out jabs and occasional right hands, using the full ring, skirting the perimeter, careful to not get trapped in corners. Libranza starting to walk onto not just jabs but that hook and cross combo that Cafu favored early on. Libranza starts to get closer in the third minute, catching Cafu with some step-in jabs and swipes on the body, but not enough to steal it.

10-9 Cafu, close

57-57

 

Round 7

Libranza is going with southpaw, both men fencing with their opposite stance jabs. Libranza pushing ahead, Cafu leading him on a slow motion chase. Both very wary, perhaps tired. Extremely low output first two minutes of the round, almost nothing thrown except probing jabs from either. Cafu landing a bit better as he's doubling his jab, often planting two in Libranza's exposed teeth (mouth open around the guard) at once. Libranza ducks low and jabs the body, orthodox again. Cafu chases him out with a light right hand driven down where his head is, but Libranza is able to shuffle aside. Jab to the forehead from a stationary position and right cross on the shoulder by Libranza zooming in, slingshot combo.

10-9 Cafu, very close,

67-66 Cafu

 

Round 8

Libranza is forcing exchanges. Cafu dancing around, jabbing. Libranza eating shots but doesn't mind. Libranza wants to make something happen - AND SO HE DOES. Cafu rocked badly by a left hook bang on the point of the chin. Libranza like a shark smelling blood in the water. Libranza with heavy overhands backing Cafu into a corner. Cafu clinching and running. Body shots and clubbing blows by Libranza. They collide in a clinch and topple over in a heap still locked together horizontal on the canvas. Time in. Libranza with just over a minute left and coming on very strong. Cafu looks terrified. Nice laser-guided straight counter right by Cafu to escape a corner, crowd goes wild. Libranza shrugged it off and just kept pounding away below Cafu's elbows with both hands. Libranza wailing down on Cafu's face with the windmilled right hand, using that shot mostly just to generate momentum for his massive left hooks on the body. Cafu getting beaten to a pulp downstairs. Cafu countering but for naught, Libranza won't be denied.

10-9 Libranza, nearly 10-8, HUGE round.

76-76

 

This is for the IBF's vacant international super fly title, last held by Sunny Edwards three years ago.

 

Round 9

Libranza is shoring up his energy, not bringing the balls-out attack he did in the previous round. Libranza following Cafu around the ring, barely throwing aside from some body jabs. Cafu just dancing around, changing directions, flicking out light jabs in multiples. Libranza dashes in and almost gets Cafu with a left hook, grazing as he backs into the ropes. Cafu coasting, tossing out the odd 1-1-2 just to keep Libranza honest. Crowd restless in the face of such a boring round after its predecessor, hooting and whistling for action. Cafu on his bike (lol, literally the moment I type that the commentator starts making excuses equivocating on his behalf by saying "wouldn't quite say he's on his bicycle, per se". He is. ). Cafu counter combo at the bell.

10-9 Cafu

86-85 Cafu

 

This play by play guy is so full of crap.

Always so vague with his scores, never an exact number, always this or that person up by "a couple of points". He says Libranza has fought well but probably hopeless entering the 10th as on his card he's down by "a couple of points...actually maybe more than a couple". Dude doesn't even know his own scorecard? How hard is keeping a pen and paper handy at the broadcast desk?

 

Round 10

Libranza as I suspected was saving it all for this big 11th hour push. Cafu hurt badly by a left hook, clinches, they fall. Ref gets them up and shoved off into neutral corners to reset. Libranza forces the issue going for the miracle KO in enemy territory but Cafu too slippery, able to hold on until the conclusing bell.

10-9 Libranza

95-95

 

Official cards:

97-93
97-93
98-92

UD for Cafu

Garbage scores. All three judges South African.

Even the commentator vocally disagrees with it being that wide.